NULGE embarks on indefinite strike in FCT

National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Bwari branch, yesterday embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of 20 percent arrears by the authority of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.
An executive of the union who pleaded anonymity told newsmen that the strike was to press home the demand for the payment of the arrears.
He alleged that the area council chairman, Mr Peter Yohanna Ushafa refused to pay the N13 million balance of arrears owed the employees.
“The industrial action is borne out of our State Executive Council’s resolve to compel the council authority to meet our demands. The SEC of NULGEN at the meeting held in December 2013 with the six area council chairmen agreed on the mode of payment of these arrears.
“The council chairman through his spokesperson at another meeting held in January, promised to pay the arrears and that if not paid in April, we should embark on strike.
“We are now in August; the SEC therefore resolved that we should embark on indefinite strike because it has exhausted every avenue for dialogue,” he said.
The unionist said that it was only Kwali Area Council that had paid the arrears to its employees within the FCT.
However, efforts to hear from the Bwari Area Council chairman proved abortive as he declined to address newsmen on the development.
Meanwhile, throughout yesterday, the main entrance to the council secretariat was sealed by striking workers to ensure no one gained entry into the premises.
Nigerian Pilot learnt that the situation was the same in other area councils where the workers are also being owed same arrears.
But there were hopes that the wages impasse may be before the end of work today.